Devils Beat TCNJ In Overtime Thriller, 24-23

MADISON, NJ - Senior quarterback
Matt Jeffers (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Twp.)
connected with senior running back Brendon Griffin
(Riverside, NJ/Riverside) for a 25-yard touchdown pass in the first
series of overtime to give the College at Florham Devils a 24-17
lead but TCNJ responded with a touchdown of their own to close the
gap to 24-23, however the extra point was wide right allowing the
Devils to pull out the victory on Friday night at Shields
Field.

With the win, the Devils improved to 2-0 while the Lions dropped to
0-2. It is the first 2-0 start for FDU since 2004.

FDU got the ball first and marched right down the field to take a
7-0 lead on a 27-yard touchdown run by Griffin. The drive
went eight plays for 66 yards and the big play came when Jeffers
found sophomore wide receiver Doug Van Orden
(Madison, NJ/Madison) for a 12-yard gain on third-and-seven from
the FDU 48 yard line. On the ensuing kickoff, junior
linebacker Ed Coleman (East Orange, NJ/Hudson
Valley CC) forced and recovered a fumble giving the Devils the ball
back on the TCNJ 33 yard line. Jeffers converted a
third-and-two with an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver
Tim Grey (Ft. Washington, PA/Upper Dublin) before
the drive stalled. Sophomore kicker Travis
Mullen (Palm Harbor, FL/East Lake) came on to give FDU a
10-0 lead with a 23-yard field goal.

After FDU stopped a TCNJ drive, the Devils took over on their own
10 yard line. On third-and-15 from the five, Jeffers was
picked off by junior safety Shawn Brown (Long
Branch, NJ/Long Branch) who then returned it 30 yards for a
touchdown to cut the TCNJ deficit to 10-7 with 2:56 left in the
first quarter. Each offense then went three-and-out and as
TCNJ tried to punt, senior defensive back Matt
Porricelli (Howell, NJ/Freehold Twp.) came through to
block it to give the Devils the ball on the TCNJ 29 yard line just
a minute into the second quarter. On the second play of the
drive, Jeffers hooked up with Grey for a 29-yard scoring strike to
give FDU a 17-7 advantage with 13:29 left in the half.
Neither team got much going after that until TCNJ got the ball at
their own 34 with 1:09 to go in the half. The Lions drove 47
yards in eight plays to set up a 37-yard field goal by junior
kicker Tyler Olsson (Kendall Park, NJ/South
Brunswick) with 0:06 remaining that cut FDU's halftime lead to
17-10.

On their second possession of the third quarter, TCNJ started with
the ball on the FDU 40 yard line and went those 40 yards in nine
plays to tie the game at 17-17 on a three-yard touchdown run by
junior running back Justin Doniloski (Rockaway,
NJ/Morris Hills). It was a back-and-forth battle after that,
as each team advanced into opposing territory but couldn't get any
points. With 6:14 left in regulation, the Devils took over on
their own 16 yard line and on first down Jeffers hit Griffin for a
32-yard gain to the FDU 48. Senior running back
Bayshawn Wells (Lawrence, NJ/Lawrence) then
carried three straight times for 17 yards before Griffin had a
three-yard run down to the TCNJ 32. A personal foul by the
Lions after the play pushed the ball to the 17 but a false start by
FDU made it first-and-15 on the 22. Jeffers ran for seven
yards before Wells carried for one yard and FDU faced 3-and-7 from
the 14. TCNJ then jumped offside giving the Devils
third-and-two but Griffin could only muster one yard to make it
fourth-and-1 from the eight with 1:35 left in the game.
Mullen came on to attempt the go-ahead three points from 25 yards
out but it was blocked by junior defensive back Phil
Gatti (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park). The Lions
then elected to run out the clock to set up overtime.

TCNJ won the overtime coin toss and elected to defend first, giving
FDU the ball. After an incompletion on first down, Jeffers
hit Griffin coming out of the backfield for a 25-yard score to put
the Devils up 24-17. TCNJ then got the ball and sophomore
quarterback Nicholas Tyson (Freehold, NJ/Freehold
Boro) ran three consecutive times for 15 yards setting up
second-and-six on the FDU 10 yard line. The Lions gained the
six yards and the first down on a rushing play making it
first-and-goal on the four. Tyson then ran around right end
and stuck the ball over the goal line to pull the Lions to within
24-23. Olsson then came on for the point after but
pushed it wide right allowing FDU to pick up the hard-fought
victory.

Jeffers finished the game 17-of-34 for 212 yards to go along with
two touchdowns and one interception through the air while rushing
seven time for 58 yards. Griffin had 10 carries for 41 yards
and a score on the ground while catching two passes for 57
yards and a score through the air. Wells had 11 rushes for 40
yards, freshman wide receiver Anthony
Fruncillo (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) finished
with five grabs for 44 yards, senior tight end Beau
Reed (Ocean, NJ/Rumson) made three catches for 51 yards,
and Grey notched three receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown.